The End of an Era in Bean Town

Spectrum News is expanding its Northeast footprint with the acquisition of New England Cable News (NECN) from NBCUniversal, a move that effectively resurrects the 34-year-old regional network. The deal, announced Wednesday, involves the acquisition of NECN’s assets and brand only; no NBCUniversal employees will transfer to Spectrum as part of the transaction.

For Charter Communications, the purchase represents a strategic opportunity to consolidate its existing news operations in Maine and Massachusetts under the new "Spectrum News NECN" banner. While the network will continue to operate out of NBCUniversal’s Boston Media Center in Needham, Spectrum plans to hire its own staff to revitalize a brand that had largely eroded since NBC launched its own Boston broadcast station in 2017. In recent years, NECN had functioned primarily as a simulcast outlet for NBC10 content rather than the standalone 24/7 news powerhouse it was when founded in 1992.

Mike Bair, EVP of Spectrum Networks, framed the acquisition as a significant milestone for the company’s hyper-local news strategy, extending its viewership to additional markets. The rebranded network will be available to Spectrum customers in Maine and Massachusetts, as well as Comcast Xfinity subscribers across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.